Stuff you have fixed today

[Prajna]

Last year Sgt Ze asked me to fix his chimney cowl, which wasn't turning. Well I did what I could greasing up the bearing and tried to straighten the bearing support but only managed to break one of the welds. I apologisedto Ze and told him that was the best I could do and that really it needed someone who could weld or to be replaced.

This year I learned to weld and am now proficient enough (just) to do the job.

The bearing support frame (or whatever it's called) was pushed up, so that the cowl was rubbing on the chimney. I laid a piece of 50x50x5mm SHS across the cowl and used a G clamp to pull the bearing into the correct position. That broke another weld on the other side and I pulled out the first rod that I broke the weld on last year. I used a cup brush to clean off the soot from the joints and then a die grinder to clean to bright metal. I guessed it would only want about 40A because the band I was welding to is very thin but after a try it turned out that it took 70A on a 2mm rod to fix it. The bearing (if you can call it that!) was loose and had been filled with lead to try to firm it up. I tacked the sides of the bearing and reflowed the lead with a propane torch. The centre bush, which I fitted last year) still turns, as does the centre of the bearing. Took it down greased and refitted it. There was just enough wind to see that it works. Ze is pleased and has now asked me to weld up the back of his wood burner, which has a big gap at the back where he has kicked logs into it when they didn't fit! Probably I'll have to pull the whole burner out so I can panel beat it back into place. Happy daze.

 

[Barking Mat]

This evening I fixed this little trolley jack I bought cheap some weeks back.

The nuts holding both the sprocket wheels on were loose, and somebody has obviously had a go before as the handle sprocket wheel was upside down.

20 - 30 minutes fiddling, and works a treat. Handy little jack.

 

[Arc Tourist]

Today I made a useful modification to my roll cab top box. In order to access the drawers, the lid of the top box needs to be open. When the lid is down the drawers are automatically locked. This is a pain in the a*** as I rarely need what's in the top and usually store items on top of the lid. The locking mechanism which uses a spring loaded plunger to move a vertical bar down behind the drawers can not be disconnected, so after pondering it a bit, I came up with a simple idea which works, and is reversible.

To make a short story long , the procedure was to first compress the plunger down and out of the way, which I did by using several small wrenches. Next was to mark and drill an 8mm hole where the plunger contacted the locking tab. This allowed the plunger to remain in the up ( unlocked ) position when the lid is closed. I then punched a hole just inside the edge of a knock out plug, which was from a galvanized electrical switch box, and positioned it to cover the drilled hole in the lid's locking tab. A small hole was then drilled on the edge of the locking tab and tapped for a 6-32 screw to retain and adjust the position of the knock out plug so that the tool box can be locked again when desired. I'm happy with the result as I can now utilize the drawers with the lid down.

Hopefully the photos will be self explanatory.

 

[Moose McAlpine]

Today I made a useful modification to my roll cab top box.

This is very neat!

 

[Arc Tourist]

This is very neat!

Thanks, its the little things that make life easier. One thing I forgot to mention is I used a screw with a very flat head to minimise contact with the hinge. The magnet picked up "all" of the tiny bits of swarf, and a little dab of grease should prevent rust forming.

 

[nickk]

In true last minute style,fitted 2 of 3 door cards,marked all the holes,avoided umpteen previous owners holes,punched thru the material,so avoiding pulling the padding around a drill bit,then clearance holes then drill the door and fit with shallow pan heads,one day paint the heads.were off to Cornwall this afternoon for a holiday at last,got a refund for last years ferry to France,wait till the covid is less virulent.

t

 

[RichardM]

Just the column was heavy, attached to the base on the stand and then bolted down. 2mm thickness washers to sit under each corner as the base casting underneath is not machined. Need to stretch by back out now.


A few more bits added all oiled up. Might swap the capped oilers for ball type.



Need to sort the drive now and have a look at the gib / knee on the Y axis.

 

[Dilkris]

I'm quite envious of that.

 

[VeryFEDUP]

Before and After in the same picture:

The one I haven't done yet next to the one I have. Very cheap softwood that felt like well rotted balsa wood. Managed to salvage the backs and the wider bits on the seat. All the snappy pieces replaced with oak. Cleaned out any rot and filled with resin. Pine then stained and oak varnished. A2 stainless fixings all round.

 

[4String.]

Did this "fix" last week but it's been worth its weight in gold today:



Strapped the camping fridge to the back of the passenger seat in the wagon, and discovered that it runs off both 24v and 12v . Delivered a load of bricks to the middle of Bow this morning then back out to Tilbury Docks for another load which has just gone to Greenwich, the temperature has been around 30 most of the day and it's been an absolute joy to dip into the fridge for a cold drink whenever I've fancied one:


Plenty of room for a 2 litre container of milk as well as cans of pop, bottles of water, my new favourite drink which is Lemon and Lime "spring water" from Lidl , and a couple of cans of pear cider to wash the bbq burgers down . And an added bonus is that the main fridge under the bottom bunk now has more space in it due to not having any milk in it so I can get loads more fresh fruit in there

 

[Brad93]

Easy one today. Done in situ.

 

[Dilkris]

Easy one today. Done in situ.

View attachment 301321 View attachment 301322 View attachment 301323

OK...... so what am I looking at???

 

[Brad93]

OK...... so what am I looking at???

The pin in my hand had snapped off in the valve cover of this engine, instead of trying to shape the aluminium weld back into a pin, I built it up with weld, then drilled and reamed using a guide block I made, then press fitted a 4mm dowel pin with bondloc 620 for good measure

 

[RWD3M]

Today I made a useful modification to my roll cab top box. In order to access the drawers, the lid of the top box needs to be open. When the lid is down the drawers are automatically locked. This is a pain in the a*** as I rarely need what's in the top and usually store items on top of the lid. The locking mechanism which uses a spring loaded plunger to move a vertical bar down behind the drawers can not be disconnected, so after pondering it a bit, I came up with a simple idea which works, and is reversible.

To make a short story long , the procedure was to first compress the plunger down and out of the way, which I did by using several small wrenches. Next was to mark and drill an 8mm hole where the plunger contacted the locking tab. This allowed the plunger to remain in the up ( unlocked ) position when the lid is closed. I then punched a hole just inside the edge of a knock out plug, which was from a galvanized electrical switch box, and positioned it to cover the drilled hole in the lid's locking tab. A small hole was then drilled on the edge of the locking tab and tapped for a 6-32 screw to retain and adjust the position of the knock out plug so that the tool box can be locked again when desired. I'm happy with the result as I can now utilize the drawers with the lid down.

Hopefully the photos will be self explanatory.

View attachment 300510 View attachment 300511 View attachment 300513 View attachment 300514 View attachment 300517 View attachment 300518

Those Craftsman tools are a lovely sight. Just like my tool box

 

[Craig-SM]

Those Craftsman tools are a lovely sight. Just like my tool box

View attachment 301344

I won't show you my toolbox, it will send you into a panic attack

 

[Moose McAlpine]

I won't show you my toolbox, it will send you into a panic attack

Another forum i'm on has a "Show Us Your Toolbox" thread. It's both the best and worst thing.

 

[Craig-SM]

I'm not searching for that!

 

[123hotchef]

Today I made a useful modification to my roll cab top box. In order to access the drawers, the lid of the top box needs to be open. When the lid is down the drawers are automatically locked. This is a pain in the a*** as I rarely need what's in the top and usually store items on top of the lid. The locking mechanism which uses a spring loaded plunger to move a vertical bar down behind the drawers can not be disconnected, so after pondering it a bit, I came up with a simple idea which works, and is reversible.

To make a short story long , the procedure was to first compress the plunger down and out of the way, which I did by using several small wrenches. Next was to mark and drill an 8mm hole where the plunger contacted the locking tab. This allowed the plunger to remain in the up ( unlocked ) position when the lid is closed. I then punched a hole just inside the edge of a knock out plug, which was from a galvanized electrical switch box, and positioned it to cover the drilled hole in the lid's locking tab. A small hole was then drilled on the edge of the locking tab and tapped for a 6-32 screw to retain and adjust the position of the knock out plug so that the tool box can be locked again when desired. I'm happy with the result as I can now utilize the drawers with the lid down.

Hopefully the photos will be self explanatory.

View attachment 300510 View attachment 300511 View attachment 300513 View attachment 300514 View attachment 300517 View attachment 300518

Just close the drawers with the lid closed then they dont get locked

 

[Moose McAlpine]

Just close the drawers with the lid closed then they dont get locked

Don't know about other boxes, but on mine if you shut the top, then shut the drawers (fully) they latch and lock. The locking bars at the back are spring-loaded.

 

[mechman]

I've got a tool heap.